Rpo 581 ?

[George J.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Someone needs to write a book about these early cars and all of their history(s).

George
31887

[Bruce B.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

George,
I agree 100%.
As time passes we loose some of this history every day.
An example is the passing of a number of Corvette Guys (Gail Parsons, Jack Knab and others) over the past year.
Ken Kaysers book is a excellent example of getting valuable information into print. The Mike Hunt info is very important and helpful along with many other peoples information.
Information in the heads and file cabinets of people such as John Neas, Jim Gessner, Noland Adams, Bill Connell and the likes of John DeGregory, Jerry Bramlett and many others needs to be preserved.
IMHO.

[Chris E.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Someone needs to write a book about these early cars and all of their history(s).

George
31887

Yes please. I'd buy it.

[Tom B.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Amazing cars. Am I correct that the speedo was recalibrated to be used as the tach?

Tom

[Tom P.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Amazing cars. Am I correct that the speedo was recalibrated to be used as the tach?

Tom

Yes, that is correct. Since they were built (or modified) to be competition cars, there was no need for a speedometer (on the race track).

[James G.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Joe, you mention the BLACK 1956 SR-1. Any more info on it? I have the vin number. So three of the six 1956 SR-1's have been found.

I will add that the 1956 SEBRING #1 C/M Modified car also has the Houdaille shocks and 4 leaf springs. So I believe that the 56 SEBRING engineering cars, all of the SR-1'S and possibly all of the 57 Fuel injection cars that raced NASSAU on December 7, 1956 had this suspension. That is more than 7 however.

When SEBRING 57 occurred in March 23-4, the engineering had developed RPO684, using different shocks and 5 leaf springs. BUT......we all inspected the vin#1034 car, and it had engineering 6 leaf rear springs, with 010 engineering prefix original numbers. 8 sets were made (a spare for each side, each car), and they were sent to SEDCO in Atlanta for delivery by March 1, 1957. SEDCO was the company set up be GM Engineering where NASCAR and DAYTONA and SEBRING cars were assembled prior to shipping cars south. We found an 87 year old worker who DROVE the #3 car to Florida with another employee who is now deceased who drove the #4 car.

Sure would be nice if ART ARMSTRONG would share the GM Chevrolet engineering drawings he has.

Also I hear TIM PARTRIDGE is writting a book on this very subject. His 1957 P3 SEBRING car will be at MECUM Florida Auction in January. SEE http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=FL0112-121170

I should go and watch, but Southern California weather is usually 100% better. Last time I attended was 2000. Don't know if I have the energy.

[John H.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Also I hear TIM PARTRIDGE is writting a book on this very subject. His 1957 P3 SEBRING car will be at MECUM Florida Auction in January. SEE http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=FL0112-121170

Jim -

Here's that same car - I shot this on March 22nd, 1957, 54 years ago, when I was crewing for Max Goldman (our Manx-tailed Cooper-Climax finished 18th overall and 2nd in the Sports 1100 Class - to Colin Chapman's Lotus 11).

[Joseph T.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Joe, you mention the BLACK 1956 SR-1. Any more info on it? I have the vin number. So three of the six 1956 SR-1's have been found.

I will add that the 1956 SEBRING #1 C/M Modified car also has the Houdaille shocks and 4 leaf springs. So I believe that the 56 SEBRING engineering cars, all of the SR-1'S and possibly all of the 57 Fuel injection cars that raced NASSAU on December 7, 1956 had this suspension. That is more than 7 however.

When SEBRING 57 occurred in March 23-4, the engineering had developed RPO684, using different shocks and 5 leaf springs. BUT......we all inspected the vin#1034 car, and it had engineering 6 leaf rear springs, with 010 engineering prefix original numbers. 8 sets were made (a spare for each side, each car), and they were sent to SEDCO in Atlanta for delivery by March 1, 1957. SEDCO was the company set up be GM Engineering where NASCAR and DAYTONA and SEBRING cars were assembled prior to shipping cars south. We found an 87 year old worker who DROVE the #3 car to Florida with another employee who is now deceased who drove the #4 car.

Sure would be nice if ART ARMSTRONG would share the GM Chevrolet engineering drawings he has.

Also I hear TIM PARTRIDGE is writting a book on this very subject. His 1957 P3 SEBRING car will be at MECUM Florida Auction in January. SEE http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...=FL0112-121170

I should go and watch, but Southern California weather is usually 100% better. Last time I attended was 2000. Don't know if I have the energy.

Tiger Tom Pistone was at SEDCO and I think he's still kickin! He was featured on an episode of American Pickers or something like that. Paul Goldsmith was at Smokeys garage during SEDCO and he too would certainly know some of what was going on. Dale Swanson Sr. was offered the job to run SEDCO but declined not wanting to move to Atlanta. Dale was working working with Smokey on the new Rochester Fuel Injection. Vince Piggins took the job by way of Smokey's recommendation. Gib Hufstader was sent to Smokey's at that time as well.

I talked to the son of the guy that owned the black SR1...and I talked to the original owner of Sebring Bill's SR1. He was having his 54 worked on at Dick Doane's when Doane said come over here..and showed him 4 of the 6 SR1's ever built.

Joe

[James G.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

We need to have an old fashion TEXAS BBQ complete with ROUNDTABLE, all captured with modern video and sound.

Look at this neat site http://forums.autosport.com/index.ph...ic=106332&st=0 READ SLOWLY, and you will see There is so much history here. RACING PEOPLE were so few in these days, (still are) and everyone knows everyone. FRANK LANCE and JERRY ENTIN were at the RIVERSIDE RACEWAY REUNION last March. Great guys . FRANK was the wrench on 57#1034 we inspected in 2009.


We are losing people every month, and the need to obtain the history has to be done ASAP. Besides, its fun chasing the history with the cars.

[Dino L.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Has that C1 Carroll Shelby car in the blog ever been found or anyone have history on that car?

[George J.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

We need to have an old fashion TEXAS BBQ complete with ROUNDTABLE, all captured with modern video and sound.

Look at this neat site http://forums.autosport.com/index.ph...ic=106332&st=0 READ SLOWLY, and you will see There is so much history here. RACING PEOPLE were so small in these days, (still is) and everyone knows everyone. FRANK LANCE and JERRY ENTIN were at the RIVERSIDE RACEWAY REUNION last March. Great guys . FRANK was the wrench on 57#11034 we inspected in 2009.


We are losing people every month, and the need to obtain the history has to be done ASAP. Besides, its fun chasing the history with the cars.

Jim,
you're so right. I hope someone is able to collect this information, even if it takes another, down the road, to put it into a book form.

George
31887

[Bruce B.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Jim,
Great info and pictures on the Autosport website.
Thanks,
Bruce B

[James G.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Has that C1 Carroll Shelby car in the blog ever been found or anyone have history on that car?

We believe the SEBRING #3 CAR may be one of the cars raced by CARROLL SHELBY.

A detailed story was written up in the NCRS RESTORER WINTER 2010, PAGES 45-49 about the car. After SEBRING 57, The two 57 production cars and the red SR-2 Bill Mitchell car (now owned by Bill Tower) were sold to Eb Rose, a Houston Trucking owner who loved racing in SCCA. The story goes that the cars that had been painted black with rose inserts. When 1034 was discovered an autopsy was done over the weekend of August 1, 2009 where a group of noted experts on these cars examined the car in detail. We found black paint and pink or rose insert on the wheel lips of the car. This photo shows the car with CARROLL testing the car at Cumberland SCCA Regional Race on May 19, 1957. We have actual movies of this race. Dr. Dick Thompson was 1st, CARROLL was second and STEVE HOWE (in the first production AIR BOX VIN 4007) was third

also see http://registryofcorvetteracecars.co.../view_cars/858 for more in depth details on this car.

[George J.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Jim,
are the movies available somewhere?

George
31887

[James G.]

Re: Rpo 581 ?

Jim,
are the movies available somewhere?

George
31887

Bill Connell, who owns the 4007 AIR BOX car has the personel collection from JACK KNAB/ and STEVE HOWE. I believe it may be on U-TUBE as well.